Jakarta (ANTARA News) – Now into its second day, the Trade Expo Indonesia event has generated a total of US$186.69 million worth of transactions in the form of trade contracts.

“Transactions worth US$178.7 million were signed on the first day while US$7.99 million worth of deals were signed on the second day,” informed the Trade Ministrys Head of National Export Development Arlinda in Jakarta, on Thursday.

On the second day of the Expo, the buying mission contract signing was dominated by importers of food and beverage products from Australia.

The signings were witnessed by Suprapto Martosetomo, Indonesias Ambassador to South Africa as well as the Kingdom of Lesotho, the Kingdom of Swaziland and the Republic of Botswana. The deals were signed by six importers from three countries, including Nigeria, Australia and South Africa, and eight local export businesses.

In the pharmaceutical sector, Nigerias Jeijosh Pharma signed a deal with PT. Phapros, while Sony Trading Pty. Ltd signed a deal with PT. Mayora Indah.

In the food and beverage products sector, PT. Pondan Pangan Makmur and PT. Sarimunik Mandiri signed a deal with Eastern Cross Trading Pty. Ltd and CV. Intrafood, while Hean Corporation and PT. Dua Kelinci signed a partnership in the same sector.

Grein Australia Pty Ltd and PT. Sayap Mas Utama signed a deal for food and beverage products as well as consumer goods.

Arlinda believes that this event has broadened Indonesias export opportunities in a number of markets, especially non-traditional ones.

“We continue to work so that the Indonesian trade representatives contribute more overseas, while at the same time encouraging business makers to enhance the quality of their products because export opportunities are now very vast,” Arlinda remarked.

The Trade Ministry aims for the goods trade transactions to reach US$800 million by the end of this Trade Expo, excluding the investment opportunities and services related transactions.

It is hoped that overall, the total transactions signed can reach US$1 billion, exceeding the previous year’s figure of US$909 million of deals.